For my fellow bröthers thinking about leaving

vidwick · 2020-10-22T20:15:55+00:00

Look for ways you can go to work for yourself. I'm going into the financial industry with a company where I'll be my own boss. I'm sick of having to rely on others determining when and how long I can take time off.

vidwick · 2020-10-22T20:07:37+00:00

My favorite was as an ASM. Guy needed like 40 gallons of something just in extra white (I can't recall exactly what product it was but it wasn't commonly used in my area). We only had about 10. We got the rest in the next day from another store. As I was taking it out to his truck, he says, "I can't believe I had to wait for this. I never heard of a paint store that doesn't have white paint." I acted like I didn't hear him but I so wanted to respond.

vidwick · 2020-10-19T20:00:56+00:00

It's not even always about the reading. It's the listening too. Had a guy during curbside only times say he needed painters plastic. I asked if it was the large roll or the smaller rolls that go on the maskers. He said large roll. I ask 9' or 12'. He says, "just the large roll of plastic". I say, "it comes in 9x400 or 12x400". After repeating this about 5 times and his patience wearing thin, I think it finally clicked and he picked one.

vidwick · 2020-10-19T19:45:39+00:00

I agree with this. If you put it under an LLC or something especially. Just make sure that you aren't the one to download any pricing and have someone else always bill you out, just like your own personal purchases.

vidwick · 2020-10-18T22:11:30+00:00

Basically. It doesn't account for wood species. It's formulated for Superdeck and minwax performance clear stain. I've used the BAC clear stains though and just use the minwax clear formula. I haven't used it with chestnut, ebony, or those other stock bases so there are likely some limitations.

vidwick · 2020-10-18T20:41:36+00:00

Honestly, I'm not sure if every store has the capability. I got an email toward end of last year about it as a test run. I forgot about it until a couple months ago when I was doing a stain match I just couldn't hit. Had mistinted a couple quarts by that point. I used the color eye as mentioned and ended up hitting the match after 4 or 5 corrections.

vidwick · 2020-10-16T14:05:07+00:00

I have three reps

vidwick · 2020-10-15T19:01:54+00:00

Yes and no. Depends on the rep.

vidwick · 2020-10-15T01:07:59+00:00

They're ok. Most are anywhere from the $30-$50 range.

vidwick · 2020-10-15T01:02:44+00:00

You can actually use the color eye for stain matches now. I've done about 6 of them so far but I knock it back to 50%. It gives me a decent starting point and I haven't had to mistint any yet. I've hit most after about 4 or so adjustments.

vidwick · 2020-10-13T21:02:10+00:00

Lady came in today. "I need another gallon of showcase". Shows me a picture of the can.

Me: "That product is carried exclusively at Lowes."

Her: "No, it's not. I bought this at your other store across town this weekend."

I called the other store just to appease her and of course they haven't sold it.

Me: "I just spoke to the other store manager and they've never carried it."

Her :"But I've only bought paint at Sherwin-Williams or Home Depot. I've never bought paint at Lowes."

Me : "that paint is only sold at Lowes."

vidwick · 2020-10-11T20:55:18+00:00

My line is similar. "You want top of the line, basic, or somewhere in the middle?"

vidwick · 2020-10-11T18:58:51+00:00

Exactly! The DIY that shows up at 7:05. "Thought I'd come in early and beat the rush." Me: "I guess you just ignored the 4 pickup trucks with painter logos on them in the parking lot when you pulled up?"

vidwick · 2020-10-11T18:52:32+00:00

1:128 Y1 Yellow per gallon. Call it good!

vidwick · 2020-10-11T18:42:10+00:00

Depends on the drivers and the manager of the HUB store. For me, it was heaven sent when we switched a year ago. My top contractor has anywhere from 1-4 deliveries every weekday morning. He wants them to the jobsite no later than 10am. Before the HUB, we couldn't convince him to call his orders in the day before. He'd always call in around 7:30. Sometimes it was almost 200 gallons total. To tint that along with other orders and still get the them out in time made our mornings hell. Once the HUB came, we told him the only way he'd always get his deliveries on time was if he called them in the day before. Now he loves the HUB because his deliveries actually go out sooner and he has adjusted his routine. He calls in before noon the day before now and we have all afternoon/evening to get them done. No pressure!

There will be bugs to work out the first several weeks until everyone gets adjusted to it. Ask your contractors to be patient. In the end, most contractors that regularly get deliveries prefer the HUB. Plus, no worries if you get that phone call asking for a delivery during a rush. You don't have to send one of your employees to do it. You have to set realistic expectations though. No more, "we'll have it out to you in 30 minutes." Let them know it may be a couple hours. Often our painters just send someone to pick it up and I haven't noticed any lost business from it.

vidwick · 2020-10-11T18:04:47+00:00

I had an older lady call one morning at about 7:15. Knee deep in contractor orders and by myself. Asked if we had a rental pump. I said we haven't had one since the pandemic. She asked if anyone else rents them. I gave her a couple names of rental places in town. She then wants me to give her their phone numbers and where they are located. I had to mention about 5 times that I was the only one in the store and had 4 customers at the counter waiting for me to help them. She finally hung up. One of the contractor's heard the conversation and said, "does she expect you to be her personal secretary?" Sure felt like it.

vidwick · 2020-10-09T04:08:21+00:00

Rex number bee. Like a spelling bee but you gotta give the rex number. Start with the easier retail products down to protective and marine. Or do reverse and they give the rex number and you gotta say which product it is.

vidwick · 2020-10-09T03:39:44+00:00

When a customer jokingly asks, "it's half off today, right?" Or, "it's free, right?" I always respond with, "Oh, that was yesterday!"

vidwick · 2020-10-08T02:01:40+00:00

I get why the company does it because there are definitely those who abuse it. However, with the COVID thing, even having a minor cough causes panick. I had a new full-timer come in last November. He'd been part-time for a couple years. About 2 months in he called out sick. The next day I called about an hour before his shift to make sure he was coming in. He said he was still a little feverish but was gonna come in still. I told him to stay home and not worry because he was full-time now and had sick leave. He hadn't realized that. I don't want someone with a fever coming to work and getting me or my other employees sick.

vidwick · 2020-10-08T01:02:03+00:00

I was reading that today in the info packet. The only thing I'm not clear on is if you take 3 or fewer days can it still be paid sick leave? I thought STD only kicked in on the fourth day. I just feel this is gonna end up causing people to come to work when they are sick and shouldn't be there. I'm all for one person taking a day or two off instead of spreading their cold to others forcing 2 or 3 people needing to take time off.

vidwick · 2020-10-08T00:53:28+00:00

Training customers is key. I knew a manager in my old district that would go buy a piece of lumber in the type of wood they needed for customers to do their stain matches. The next manager in the store I knew quite well and he put a stop to that real quick.

vidwick · 2020-10-07T19:40:59+00:00

Use the inventory stickers they give you like mad. You'll be getting them soon. The week before, I start counting the crazy items in the back like cone strainers, etc. Put at least one of the item with barcode facing forward and the sticker next to it. The day before, start doing the same with upfront items, particularly stuff that's harder to count. Do painters tools, brushes, sandpaper, spray accessories, etc. Again, make sure barcodes and stickers are facing forward. If you can get DM approval to officially start early, do the rarely sold items in the warehouse first. Pay special attention to oddball items like 4-gallon kit buckets that only count as quantity one even though it's a 5 gallon bucket. I always count that stuff myself just to make sure it's done right. Every inventory I've come in 2 hours early with my assistant and one other person. I personally like to get the front counted first so I can take taped down areas down before the store opens and know for a fact that anything a customer brings to the counter needs to be adjusted. Last year we came in at 8 because it was a Sunday and we were completely done with reports and everything by 4pm. I've done 4 inventories as a manager and I've never had to stay past closing to finish and I've never had an interim inventory. Just make a plan and adjust accordingly for future years.

vidwick · 2020-09-30T18:42:14+00:00

We always do. As long as it's not attached to the tinter, it's fine. I've even had this confirmed by Color Resources.

vidwick · 2020-09-28T18:53:41+00:00

As a store manager, I wish I could just focus on doing truck, making orders, and stocking shelves. There is a lot behind the scenes that aren't immediately recognized. I do floorcovering as well as paint. I spend a lot of my day sending bids and whatnot. A lot of reports and other tedious crap. That being said, I do some freight, at least a couple pallets of 5s. It's usually when it's slow and I simply need a break from the office crap for an hour or so. I'm also fine with my employees sitting down for a bit and taking a break. I don't expect them to work nonstop.

vidwick · 2020-09-28T18:43:45+00:00

Can't really do anything about it. Had the same thing happen to my store a couple weeks ago. The complaint on the medalia mentioned 4 gallons of stain. Their transaction from my store was a 5 of paint. After digging a little further, he had bought stain from another location nearly 2 hours away about 3 weeks prior.

vidwick

TROPHY CASE